Washington Dining: Ranch House BBQ and Steakhouse

Great Eats in Olympia: The Ranch House BBQ and Steakhouse

written and photographed by Cara Strickland

Olympia native Amy Anderson already had an established barbeque catering business when she opened her quirky brick-and-mortar location in 2004. In fact, she’s been competing internationally since the late ’80s, winning grand championships in Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada and Canada, and a world championship in Ireland. All this to say, Anderson knows her way around barbeque. Your best bet is one of the sampler platters, which will give you a taste of smoked chicken, pork ribtip, pulled pork and beef brisket, all made from never-frozen fresh meat cooked low and slow. If you fall in love with Anderson’s sauce, you can buy it by the jar. You’ll need a napkin (or six), but if you leave this place hungry, it’s your own fault.